"Katie-girl, I'm moving."



The words hit me like a punch in the stomach. I started to feel like I was suffocating.



"What?" I managed to squeak out.

My dad took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Katie." he said, his voice starting to crack. He cleared his throat. "I have to, hopefully just for a little while though. I'm sorry, Katie-girl." He said, using his pet name for me.

I exhaled slowly, letting his words sink in.

"Why?" I asked.

"Cancer treatment."

"Oh. Where to?"

"A ways away."

"But where?"

"A long ways away, Katie-darling."

"Where?!" I cried.

He sighed. "Europe," he said softly.

"Thats across the world..." I murmured.

"I don't want you to wait for me though. In case I dont...in case I dont come back."

I managed a nod. He traced the outline of my jaw and lifted my chin up with his finger. "Katie-girl, this might be the last time I see you,"

A single tear escaped my eye and rolled down my cheek.

"But if it is," he continued, "I will see you in Heaven. Isn't that right, Katie-darlin'?" It was more of a statment than a question, but at the moment I couldn't have cared less.

"I leave on the 5:00 o' clock train tomorrow morning. But don't meet me, I want you to have a time before your wedding tomorrow." I merely nodded my head, and bit my lip as I realized he wouldn't even be there for it. But his cancer was getting the best of him and he couldn't afford to miss the treatment. He had to go. "Bye, Katie-girl," he said real soft. I reached forward and hugged him as hard as I could, letting my tears fall on his shoulder. When they finally slowed down, I leaned back and looked at my dad. He smiled a weak smile. I tried to smile back, but I couldn't. "Love you, dad." I whispered as he turned away.

I felt more alone than ever, when I felt a presence beside me. Without looking, I knew it was my husband-to-be, Rick. He put his arm around me, then I turned and cried onto him. I hugged him, and I knew that it would be alright, because now I had a new love.